Lethal autonomous weaponIn general terms, lethal autonomous weapons systems (LAWS), also known as autonomous weapons systems (AWS), are types of military drones or military robots, that can independently search for and engage targets based on programmed constraints and descriptions. As of 2025, most military drones (including unmanned aerial vehicles and unmanned combat aerial vehicles) and military robots are not truly autonomous.
Military robotMilitary robots are autonomous robots or remote-controlled mobile robots designed for military applications, from transport to search & rescue and attack. Some such systems are currently in use, and many are under development. The difference between military robots and military drones is unclear as of 2025: some say that lethal autonomous weapons are robots whereas others describe “fully autonomous military drones”.
Da Vinci Surgical SystemThe da Vinci Surgical System is a robotic surgical platform that uses a minimally invasive surgical approach and is manufactured by Intuitive Surgical. The system is used for surgical procedures including prostatectomies, cardiac valve repair and renal and gynecologic interventions. In 2012, it was used in an estimated 200,000 surgeries, most commonly for hysterectomies and prostate removals.
Unmanned aerial vehicleAircraft without any human pilot on boardA General Atomics MQ-9 Reaper, an unmanned combat aerial vehicle used for both intelligence, surveillance, target acquisition, and reconnaissance (ISTAR) and drone strike missions.Ingenuity is an extraterrestrialautonomous UAV that performed the first powered controlled flight by an aircraft on another planet.DJI Phantom, a small civilian quadcopter designed for commercial and recreational aerial photography.
RoboticsRobotics is the interdisciplinary study and practice of the design, construction, operation, and use of robots. A roboticist is someone who specializes in robotics. Robotics usually combines four aspects of design work: a power source (e.g. a battery), mechanical construction, a control system (electrical circuits), and software (run by remote control or artificial intelligence).
Artificial intelligenceIntelligence in machinesArtificial intelligence (AI) is the capability of computational systems to perform tasks typically associated with human intelligence, such as learning, reasoning, problem-solving, perception, and decision-making.
RobotA robot is a machine, especially one programmable via a computer, capable of automatically carrying out a complex series of actions. A robot can be guided by an external or internal control device. Robots may be humanoid, but most are task-performing machines prioritizing functionality over aesthetics.
NASAAmerican space and aeronautics agencyThe National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is an independent agency of the U.S. federal government responsible for the United States' civil space program, as well as research in aeronautics and space. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., NASA operates ten field centers across the US and is organized into three mission directorates: Human Spaceflight, Research and Technology, and Science.
SensorA sensor is often defined as a device that receives and responds to a signal or stimulus. The stimulus is the quantity, property, or condition that is sensed and converted into electrical signal. In the broadest definition, a sensor is a device, module, machine, or subsystem that detects events or changes in its environment and sends the information to other electronics, frequently a computer processor.
Curiosity (rover)Curiosity is a Mars rover that is exploring Gale crater and Mount Sharp on Mars as part of NASA's Mars Science Laboratory (MSL) mission. Launched in 2011 and landed the following year, the car-sized rover continues to operate more than a decade after its original two-year mission. Curiosity was launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on November 26, 2011, at 15:02:00 UTC and landed on Aeolis Palus inside Gale crater on Mars on August 6, 2012, 05:17:57 UTC.
WirelessWireless communication (or just wireless, when the context allows) is the transfer of information (telecommunication) between two or more points without the use of an electrical conductor, optical fiber or other continuous guided medium for the transfer. The most common wireless technologies use radio waves. With radio waves, intended distances can be short, such as a few meters for Bluetooth, or as far as millions of kilometers for deep-space radio communications.
AutonomyIn developmental psychology and moral, political, bioethicalphilosophy, autonomy is the capacity to make an informed, uncoerced decision. Autonomous organizations or institutions are independent or self-governing. Autonomy can also be defined from a human resources perspective, where it denotes a (relatively high) level of discretion granted to an employee in their work. In such cases, autonomy is known to generally increase job satisfaction.*As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.